DERRYFIELD 

(Now Manchester, N. H.) 



IN THK 



REVOLUTION 



By GEORGE WALDO BROWNE 



1 ;»(>•> 

AIANC'IIKSTKU, N. II. 



\ 



DERRYFIELD 

(Now Manchester, N. H.) 



IX riiK 



REVOLUTION 



By GEORGE WALDO BROWNE 



1902 

MANCIIKSTKK, N . M. 



Derryfield in the Revolution. 



If difference in religious beliefs had divided the early inhab- 
itants of Derryfield and made them anything but peaceful neigh- 
bors, there was no lack of harmony shown upon the question 
of their civil liberty. Scotch Presbyterian and English Puritan 
had alike suffered at the hands of the aggressive Royalists, and 
each had been driven from his native land to seek in the wilder- 
ness of New England that long-sought privilege of living ac- 
cording to the rigid doctrines of his theological teacher. Some- 
thing of the irony of fate may have been felt by them in unex- 
pectedly meeting in the new world the stern, combatative ele 
ments of a rival denomination, but future generations were to 
prove that it was the divine working of that same mysterious 
Providence which had guided them to this shore. The happy 
combination of the rugged traits possessed by them has pro- 
duced a race that has been a most important factor in the mak- 
ing of the history of the foremost country of the twentieth 
century. 

However bitter personal controversies may have risen they 
did not blind them to the menace of common danger, and each 
from his standpoint watched with a zealous eye the steady en- 
croachments of his universal rights by the oppressive sovereign 
of a government that had never known what opposition really 
meant. Derryfield, without any disunion of sentiment, was among 
the first towns in the province to vote to help carry on the cost 
of preparing to meet the enemy hand to hand should the worst 
come. 

At a special meeting held January i6, 1775, the town voted 
unanimously to raise "their equal propoicion of money that shall 



hereafter arise towards paying the cost of the General Court as 
aney other town in the Province." It is difficult to see what 
more Derryfield could do. The 15th of the following May it 
was voted to send a man to the convention to be held the 17th. 
At the same meeting it was voted that Captain Alexander Mac 
Murphy, Lieutenant James McCalley, Ensign Samuel Moorci 
Eleazer Stevens and John Perham be a "commetty in behalf of 
us." This committee was the original of the Committees of 
Safety that soon followed. 

When the crisis came, suddenly and prematurely, the men of 
Derryfield quickly proved that they were as faithful and prompt 
to act as they had been to promise, and the echoes of the guns 
at Lexington had not ceased their reverberations up and down 
the valleys of the Granite hills before they were on the march 
to cope with the invaders. Stark lelt the mill log on its or- 
riage and seizing his musket and powder horn, without stopping 
to put on his coat, started for the scene of war. Robert Mc- 
Knight left his ax sticking in the body of the tree he was felling 
and barely stopping to bid his loved ones good bye hastened to 
the defence of his country. Another, whose identity is not 
plain in the mixed accounts of the exciting times, unyoked his 
oxen in the road and followed on the heels of Stark. Others at 
work in their clearings, about their homes or wherever their 
duties had called them, immediately gave up all else and joined 
in this grand rally to help drive from the land the foes of liberty. 

The latest official record at the time credited Derryfield with 
thirty six able bodied men, and of that number only two re 
mained behind with the old men and decrepit ones to look after 
affairs at home. The history of the Granite State is a proud 
one, but she has not a town which can match this record. It is 
a pity the names of these patriots have not been preserved, ex- 
cept as they are to be found on the tax list for that year, and 
which is copied from the records, vol. i, page 284, as follows: 

TAXPAYERS IN DERRYFIELD FOR I 775-6. 

Conl. John Goffe, John Yand, Esqr. 

Maj. John Moors, Ensin, Samuel Moors, 



James McKnight, 

William Nutt, 

John Griffen, 

Benjemin Baker, 

Johnathan Merrell, 

Josepii Gorge, 

Abrham Merrell, Junr., 

Jospeh Griiifen, 

Joseph farmer. 
Widow Sarah Russ, 

John Reay, 

David farmer, 
Ensin. Samuel Stark, 

David McNight, 

Joshua Blodget, 

Litchfield, 
Capt. William Parham, 

Ebenezer Coster, 

Charles Eamerson, Junr. 

John Harvey. 

Micheal Mc Clintock, 
Capt. Alexander mc Murphey, 

Moses Crombie, 
Ensin. Nathaniel Boyd, 

John Dickey. 

Robert Cuningham, 

John Hall, 
Sergt. Ebnezer Stivns, 

Benjmen Pilsbury, 

Josep Masten, 

Bakerstown, 

Robrt mc Clouer. 

Londonderry, 

Ceaser Griffen, 



3 

Capt. 



Nathaniel Merton, 
timothy Mertion, 
John Grififen, Junr. 
Benjemin Baker, Junr. 
Jesse Baker, 
Abrham Merrell, 
David Merrell, 
Ezekiel Stavens, 
Isaac farmer, 
Robert Clark, 

Conl. John Stark, 

Levt. James McCalley, 
Robert McNight, 
Daniel Blodget, 

Litchfield, 
John Parham, 
John Parham, 
Charles Eamerson, 
Gorge Eamerson, 
William Parham, Junr. 
James Pairces, 
Benjmen Crombie, 

Ensin. Samuel Boyd, 

Widow Margret Boyd, 

William Gemble, 
David Starret, 
Daniel Hall, 
Hugh thompson, 
thomas Numan, 
James Lagon, 

Londonderry, 
Alexander Irwing, 
Joseph George Select 
Samuel Stark Men. 



Recorded this 24th day of December, 1775. 

JOHN HALL, Town Clerk. 



An analysis of this list shows that of the 64 names five were 
those of non residents, and two of women, leaving 57 tax-payers, 
many of whom must have been old men and those who were un- 
fitted by disability to bear arms. 

Of the thirty four men who rushed to the front at the first alarm 
twenty-three participated in the battle of Bunker Hill under 
Stark in Captain John Moore's company which was made up 
principally of men from Derryfield, Bedford and Londonderry 

It is one of the singular records of war that though in the thick- 
est of the fight not one was killed. As a witness of the stern 
work they did on that memorable day ninety-six of the enemy 
were found dead or disabled on the battlefield in front of their 
position. 

During the cessation of hostilities which succeeded this san- 
guinary battle about half of these men returned to their homes, 
but it proved even then not enough of the town oflScers were 
present to transact business. At a special meeting on August 
II, two selectmen, David Starrett and Samuel Stark, were 
chosen 'in room of those gone to the war." At the same meet- 
ing it was voted not to send a delegate to the congress at Exe- 
ter. The report of the selectmen to the Committee on Safety 
made in September of that year shows that there were still six- 
teen men in the army. These, says Potter, were doubtless at 
Winter's Hill. There were twenty firelocks in town at the time, 
but no ammunition. The report adds, "There is 20 more men 
in Said Town fit to Bare Arms.'' 

June I, 1776, every man in Derryfield able to perform mil- 
itary duty signed the declaration of fidelity to the cause of the 
colonists demanded by the Committee of Safety, while at this 
time the following men were in the army : Colonel John Stark, 
Captain John Moore, Captain James McCalley, Captain Alex- 
ander MacMurphy, Captain Nathaniel Martin, Nathaniel Baker, 
Timothy Dow, Benjamin Baker, Samuel Harvey and Ebeneezer 
Costa. Colonel Stark was with his regiment on the expedition 
to Canada, and following the retreat of this disastrous cam- 
paign, General Gates placed him at the head of a brigade. 



Soon after he was ordered to join Washington in Philadelphia 
with his regiment. There he was assigned to Sullivan's divi- 
sion and in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, as they had at 
Bunker Hill, it was the men of the Merrimack valley who bore 
the brunt of battle and won more than their share of the results, 
and foremost among them were the sons of Derryfield. General 
Sullivan in a letter to Hon. Mesech Weare, Chairman of the 
Committee on Safety, said : "P>elieve me, sir, the Yankees 
took Trenton before the other troops knew anything of the mat- 
ter !" The Derryfield soldiers belonged to the company of 
Capt. Eben Frye of Pembroke, but were assigned to the com- 
mand of Sergt. Ephraim Stevens of this town, under whose lead 
a mere handful of sixteen men captured sixty Hessians and 
marched them triumphantly to headquarters. 

In the necessity of obtaining more men for the colonial ser- 
vice immediately after the battle of Princeton Stark returned to 
New Hampshire to recruit another regiment from a field already 
so closely culled that only he could have succeeded. But in 
the midst of his heroic efforts his enemies were at work against 
him and the trouble followed which caused him to leave the 
army and retire to his home at Amoskeag, until at the urgent 
request of his friends and fellow patriots he consented to lead 
our troops in the rescue at Bennington. These scenes have 
been so fully described in the life sketch of S'ark and the bat- 
tle of Bennington given elsewhere in these collections that it is 
not necessary to enter into the details here. The biography of 
John Stark and the history of Derryfield for those years are 
very closely interwoven. 

While her soldiers were battling at the front so manfully for 
the cause of independence, those at home were having scarcely 
less serious efforts toward help carrying on the war. Relative 
to the matter of bounty for soldiers the records show the follow- 
ing warrant and action in regard to the same : 

"I'hese are to notify and warn all the inhabitants of the town 
of Derryfield lawfully qualified to vote in Town Meetings to as- 
semble and meet at the meeting house in said Derryfield upon 



Monday the second day of April next at ten of the clock 
before noon, then and there to act on the following particu- 
lars, viz. : 

"r ly to choose a Moderator for the regulating said meet. 
"2 ly to consult and agree upon some effectual method 
to raise the proportion of men required by authority to be 
raised by said town, for carrying on the present war in which 
we are engaged, &c , &c. 
March the 31th day, 1777. 

"Benjamin Crombie, 
"Ebenezer Stevens, 

"Selectmen." 

Derryfield, April the 2d day, 1777. 
Then meet agreeable to the above notification and voted 
Col. John Stark Moderator of said Meeting, then voted to 
pay men that engages into the Conteneentel Services for sd 
Town as a Bounty fifty dollars per man. Afterwards voted 
eighty dollars per man in lue of fifty. 

"Voted the present Selectmen collect the above money of 
the free holders in said Town or borrow the above money if 
demanded before it can be collected. 
"Recorded this 3d day of April, 1777. 

"David Starrett, 
"Town Clerk." 

At a special meeting June 2, 1777, a movement "failed to 
settle and give credit to those persons that has done duty and 
advanced some money towards carrying on this unnatural war 
since beginning of Hostilities to this, so that the whole costs of 
said ware may be squarely proportioned according to pols and 
Estates." At this meeting it was voted Col. John Stark, Cap 
tain William Perham, John Harvey, David Starret and James 
Pierce a committee to regulate and state the prices of things 
not mentioned in the Regulation Act. Agre2able to vote we 
find that a tax was levied upon the male polls amounting to 
132 libs. 13s, 4d. "to discharge the bounty of five men who en- 
listed in the Continental Army for three years." Again it was 
voted at a special meeting "to care for the family of Robert Mc- 
Knight," who was a three years' soldier. May 26, 1778, it was 
voted "to have the one-half of fifty two Pounds of Powder from 



David Starrett for a Town Stock of Powder which the said 
Starrett purchased on his own cost in Exeter at nine shillings 
per pound." In the stress of obtaining recruits in the closing 
years of the war we find it voted, May 22, 1780, that "the 
Militia Officers together with the Selectmen shall provide or 
git by hiersutch Soldiers as shall frum time to time be called for 
as our cota towards carrying on the war. as cheap and in the 
best manner they can and the charge of said hier. if they can- 
not be got by Enlistment to be paid by a rate that shall be 
levied on the polls and estates of the inhabitants of the Town." 

"Feb. 13, 1 78 1, voted that the expense of the war shall be de- 
frayed by a town tax levied on the polls and Estates. 

"Voted that a committee consisting of Samuel Moore, John 
Hall, Joseph Sanders to hire such men to serve in the Conti- 
nental army for 3 years as called for and secure them for 
such pay as they may engage as soldiers. 

"Voted all who engage in the public Survice be cleared from 
paing aney poll tax for the space of one year after there return. 

March 22 1781. 

"Voted on 3d article in the warrant to allow six hard dollars 
per Month, for three months that they sent a Soldier into the 
service the year past or the value thereof in paper money. 

"Voted on 5th article in the warrant not to have any Scouting 
this year." 

The value of money for this year is illustrated in the allow- 
ance of $1000. to John Hall for "extraordinay services as 
constable." In the warrant for a special meeting called for 
July 12, 17S1, the second article runs: 

In as mutch as there hath bin a very suden and unexpected 
revelution respecting the old Continantal money sence the Rates 
were made, and the money raised to purchas Beef for the Army 
doth not answare the eand desired, there fore to see what we 
the Town will vote to make of said money raised to purchas 
Beef and also to see what method the town will take to purchas 
said Beef for the Army, which is wanted immediately. 

Voted upon this article that the three Selectmen shall divide 
the Town into three classes in order to provide the Beef for the 



Army, and that eatch class shall furnish there equiel proportion 
of said Beef and each person shall be equielly assed according 
to Pole and estate, and that said Beef shall be delivered to the 
Selectmen who is head of his class. 

Voted that eatch man that hath paid this Beef tax to Mr, 
Joseph Farmer Constable may have leave to take his money 
back again when demanded, providing this was done within 7 
days. 

The weight of the beef purchased for the army for this year. 
1781, is recorded as 3105 pounds, and the cost of purchasing 
said beef 108 pounds. The amount bought tor 1780 was 3720 
pounds and the cost paid Jonathan Russ for buying same was 
294 pounds. The rates for 1782 were as follows: Soldier 
rate 89lbs. los. 4d., which was doubled before the year ended, 
town rate, 49ilbs. 2s. iid., continental and state rate, 249lbs. 
2s. 3d., minister rate, i61bs. os. 3d., Silver rate for interest, 
5lbs. OS. I id., New Emission rate, 92lbs. 8s. 3d., a burden of 
taxation the inhabitants bore with commendable fortitude. 
There was still a backwardness in paying the soldiers the 
money due them and on March 16, 1784, we find it voted to 
pay them "the money they have not received." December 8, 
1794, it is recorded that the bounty of the Minute Men "be 
$1. when enlisted, $1. when passed muster, $1 when they march 
and $8. per month with cong. amt.'' Once more and for the 
last time the records refer to the matter, when, October 13, 
1807, it was voted to raise one hundred dollars if the soldiers 
be called for as bounty. Voted the town give the Soldiers two 
Gallons of West India Rum who turned out in defense of the 
country." It goes without saying that through all the vicissi- 
tudes of the long and sanguinary struggle for the country's in- 
dependence, whether with the men whom she sent to the brunt 
of bittle or those who met the arduous duties at home, old 
Derryfield was never for a moment faithless to her trust. 



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LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



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